In 2005 the transition from the old age of poker to the new dawn of poker was almost complete. The shift in locale was still muddied by playing every bit of tournament action in the Rio except for the last two days of the Main Event which went back to clustered and cloistered Binions. The dominance of live pros still took precedence over the coming surge of online superstars but only just. Several new names continued to win bracelets but it was kind of a last stand year for two of the biggest names in poker.

Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan, two of the most decorated players ever went back to the well for an additional bracelet in 2005. They started the series tied with Phil Hellmuth with nine bracelets all time, but the best two players of their respective generations got one more bracelet before Hellmuth did.

Chan won his bracelet in a crazy night at the Rio. On the TV table a couple of lesser names were getting the ESPN camera treatment but the powers that be at the Entertainment and Sports Network recognized history was about to be made. It didn’t hurt that Chan’s heads-up opponent was Phil Laak, aka the Unabomber who was at the height of his popularity with his erratic antics at the table. Television gold.

While Laak was matching wits with Chan, his movie star girlfriend Jennifer Tilly was on the verge of making history in her own right by battling in the Ladies tournament. Was it possible the couple would win two bracelets in one night. Shockingly, they won one, and it was shocking because it wasn’t won by Laak. The inexperienced Tilly got the bracelet after besting Anh Le in heads up action.

Chan and Laak’s impromptu televised heads up match (ESPN put them on a TV table as soon as they could) lasted only 17 hands. Chan stood all by himself on the mountain top with 10 bracelets won all time. That didn’t last too long for the No Limit Hold ‘Em expert. Less than five days later, Doyle Brunson showed he wasn’t ready to be put out to pasture yet. Despite not being interested in accumulating bracelets early in his career Brunson recognized the importance of them later.

In a 5k No Limit Short Handed tournament Brunson bested a final table of all stars. Two former world champions, Chris Ferguson and Scotty Nguyen couldn’t beat Brunson, nor could Men Nguyeyn or Minh Ly. When it was all said and done Brunson and Chan looked down, even on Phil Hellmuth.

It was a great series for Brunson because his bracelet not only put in him in the lead for all time victories it also meant when son Todd Brunson won the 2,500 Omaha Hold ‘Em Hi/Lo Event they were the first father and son to ever win bracelts in the same series. Meanwhile another father and son duo were just pipped at the finish line as Barry Greenstein, a bracelet winner, watched his son Joe Seebok come up just short in making two final tables but winning neither.

Another two bracelet story line for the world series was Mark Seif’s two bracelets in one week. Seif took down the June 17th $1500 Limit Hold Shootout and on June 24th he was busy winning the $1500 No Limit Hold ‘Em event. Seif introduced himself to the world stage with his impressive haul and won another for the career pros.

He was joined on the proverbial winner’s podium by the likes of Allen Cunningham (or clever piggy as his online poker), Erik Seidel, Barry Greenstein, TJ Cloutier, Josh Arieh, Phil Ivey, David Chiu and of course the Brunsons. In part two we’ll look at the growing main event with Mike Matusow’s deep run, Greg Raymer’s attempt to repeat, and the rise of sugar passing Aussie named Joe Hachem.